She graced him with a beatific smile and a squeeze to his knee. “After dessert, otherwise the entire meal will be delayed.”
By the time the dessert course was served, Darcy was ready to erupt with impatience. Standing suddenly and thereby instantly commanding the attention of all at the table without uttering a word, Darcy cleared his throat. Glancing at his beaming wife, he grasped her hand then addressed the staring group. Only Georgiana knew what was to be declared, and she was grinning.
“Pardon me for the interruption. Elizabeth and I have an announcement that we no longer wish to delay in imparting. We have suspected for some weeks now but have just two days ago had it confirmed.” He paused dramatically, rather enjoying the varying expressions of curiosity, dawning enlightenment, and frank bafflement that graced the features around the table. Lizzy began to giggle under her breath, knowing her staid husband's flair for the theatric. Smiling, he resumed, “Elizabeth's accident created a scare for us, but we now are certain, so can state with confidence, that we will be, roughly sometime in early December, welcoming our first child.”
He kissed her hand as everyone lurched to their feet to converge on the jubilant couple. Darcy's hand was pumped and his back was slapped; Lizzy was hugged and kissed. The party gradually retired to the parlor where Lizzy was plied with questions and baby plans were set in motion. Meanwhile, the gentlemen retreated from the female twittering to celebrate and congratulate the father-to-be with glasses of Bingley's finest port.
As always, Darcy's gaze frequently alit on his wife. Therefore, he readily interpreted her mildly increasing pallor and weakening smile as a sign of fatigue. With alacrity, he weaved his way to her side, smoothly extracting her from the clutches of her family with apologies. Once outside the room, he swept her into his arms, ignoring her protests.
“Darling, I am merely tired not incapacitated!”
“Do not argue with me, Mrs. Darcy. Have you not deduced that I simply create reasons to hold you in my embrace?”
“Oh, is that what you are doing?” she asked, laughing.
“Of course.” He kissed her forehead then grinned. “I figure I better take advantage of the opportunities before you are so rotund that I cannot pick you up.”
The five days they tarried in Hertfordshire were filled with a vast number of visitations and numerous memories.
Sir William Lucas and his wife, Lady Lucas, hosted a dinner party at Lucas Lodge the second evening after the Darcy's arrival. A generous portion of the four and twenty families of distinction attended. Darcy had met most of them at various events during the time of his previous stays in the region, although the impression he had made on the bulk of them had not been favorable. With the exception of the various young ladies in residence, who had overlooked his reserve in recognition of his wealth and position, many of them had simply abandoned any attempt at ingratiation, finding him aloof and impossible to become acquainted with. During his engagement, Darcy had pointedly striven to rectify the damage done and had largely succeeded, except for the previously mentioned young women who then had no interest in him whatsoever.
Nonetheless, aside from Mr. Bingley and Mr. Bennet, not a single man could claim to know him even moderately. In truth, Darcy could care less. Never a man to make friends with ease or to have an abundance of confidants, Darcy saw no point in endeavoring to form relationships in Hertfordshire. This honest assessment had disturbed him only in that he wished to please his fiancee. He had assumed that she, sociable and popular as she was, would desire him to be the same. He was in error. The agony he had suffered over those initial weeks of forced gregariousness had taken their toll on him, Elizabeth noting his constant tension, increased fidgeting, and loss of appetite. In another one of their forthright conversations, she had bluntly confronted him over his obvious distress. He evaded, fearful of her disappointment, but in the end she drew it out of him. With a multitude of assurances, dangerous kisses, and embraces, she finally convinced him that she loved him as he was and that it mattered naught what the people of Hertfordshire thought.
His relief had been palpable. Now, all these months later, confident in his marriage and the mutual admiration he and Elizabeth shared, not to mention his unrelenting joy, Darcy discovered that there were actually several men he rather liked. Bingley, a walking example of congeniality, had readily made friends with nearly every man his age for miles around. The newly relaxed Mr. Darcy rapidly saw his social calendar filled with shooting, horseback riding, a billiard tournament, a turn at the faro tables, and luncheon twice.
Lizzy was delighted to see her husband busily entertained. Knowing that he was happily enjoying himself with Charles and the rest at the various male pursuits he had neglected over the past months gave her the freedom to devote her time elsewhere. Most afternoons were passed at someone's house for tea, Lizzy utilizing the time to renew old friendships. However, her main purpose in visiting home was to be with her family. In a strange turn of events, Darcy became the social butterfly flittering hither and yon, while Lizzy rarely left Longbourn or Netherfield.
Lizzy's pregnancy symptoms vacillated, but her overall health seemed to be improving. She did not suffer a headache the entire time at Hertfordshire and slept very well, so her fatigue was minimal and her morning nausea was mild. Jane assured Darcy that she would keep a close eye on her sister while he was gone. Lizzy merely smiled indulgently at her husband's solicitude, relieved when he apparently abdicated his self-proscribed guard duty, wholly unaware that Jane and every servant in both households were enlisted to watch her carefully and notify him instantly of any troubles.
The men left each day shortly after breakfast, leaving Jane and Lizzy alone. Georgiana and Mary had taken quite a liking to each other, so Mary had been invited to stay at Netherfield and the two girls quickly became inseparable, to everyone's surprise. Darcy had been concerned that Kitty would resent her exclusion, but the opposite was true. Kitty found her sister and Georgiana dull as posts so was perfectly content to be left out.
Lizzy and Jane, therefore, had an abundant amount of time each day to talk. Walking about the Netherfield gardens the morning after their arrival, Jane inadvertently broached the same topic of conversation so amusing to Darcy when Bingley advanced it.
“Lizzy, did you sleep well last night?”
“Very well, thank you, Jane. I woke refreshed and only slightly queasy. Mrs. Reynolds taught Marguerite a tea recipe that nearly always calms my stomach. The tea along with a few pieces of toast before I rise, and I generally avoid any severe illness.”
“That is a relief. I was concerned.”
“You need not worry yourself, Jane. Marguerite dotes on me and has the tray at my bedside before I fully awake. William rings for her as soon as I begin to stir. Between the two of them, I am well cared for.” She laughed at the understatement.
Jane, however, was looking at her in astonishment. “Mr. Darcy is with you every morning? How early does he arise?”
Lizzy was baffled. “He is an early riser, as am I, if you remember. Lately I have tended to sleep later, prompting him to leave for a ride or business before I wake. We are both hoping the physician is correct in this blasted fatigue being of short duration. I hate being tired all the time! I have no patience… Jane, why are you looking at me like that?”
“He comes to your room every morning?! Is he so demanding, as Mother said?”
Lizzy stared for a moment then burst out laughing. “Oh, Jane! Shall I shock you further by confessing that I am every bit as ‘demanding’ as he is? William does not ‘come to me’ in the morning. He never leaves me. Neither of us wishes it otherwise.”
Jane was blushing but studying Lizzy's face closely. “He… shares your room with you?”
“In a manner of speaking. We only have one room. Well, technically, there is his mother's bedchamber, but I do not use it. His chambers are now ours. Jane, do not you and Mr. Bingley ever stay together?”
Jane grew even redder and resumed walking briskly. “Lizzy, we should change the subject.”
“Oh no, dear sister! You tendered the topic. If you assure me that you are perfectly content with your arrangement then I will desist. However, I saw a curiosity in your eyes. Tell me truthfully.” She grasped her sister's arm until she halted.
Jane avoided Lizzy's eyes, but Lizzy could see the tears shimmering. “I do not think Charles wishes to stay with me,” she said in a small voice.
“Why would you think that?”
